


Pa De Deux

by Madame_Shrimp (Phoebe_Snow)



Category: Hunger Games - Fandom, Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Comfort/Angst, Danger, District 12, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, F/M, Falling In Love, First Kiss, First Love, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Gale only has eyes for Madge, Hunters & Hunting, Inspired by my roleplay, Kissing in the Rain, Male-Female Friendship, Prompt Fic, Romance, Self Prompt, Self-Esteem Issues, Teen Angst, Teen Romance, The Capitol, Young Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-31
Updated: 2016-08-31
Packaged: 2018-05-31 22:45:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6490279
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phoebe_Snow/pseuds/Madame_Shrimp
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>"I may go hunting with you, but it doesn't mean I like you."</em>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pa De Deux

**Author's Note:**

> After a long period of time, this story has been heavily edited and updated. I will be adding another chapter either this week or next week, so check back for more!

 

 

Madge didn't normally do things like this - go out into the woods, that is - but she was bored out of her skull. Katniss was away with Peeta on their Victory Tour, her mother was in bed again with another one of her intense migraines, her dad was working late hours, and school was out for a few months. In short, Madge had nothing to do or to entertain herself with. So she decided to go hunting.

 

After all, Katniss had taken Madge out plenty of times. At the beginning, they stayed at the edge of the forest so Madge could get used to it. The next day, however, Madge informed Katniss that she wanted to go all the way inside of the forest. So, Katniss took her in.

 

They spent three hours inside the forest, and Madge eventually learned that there was nothing to be scared of in it. That gave her more ease to hunt. The forest wasn't frightening or threatening at all. In truth, it was the town of District Twelve that was scary. Madge felt so confined there that, sometimes, she felt that she would scream if she couldn't find some way, any way, to escape.

 

Thankfully, Katniss had been kind enough to recognise that hunger and gave Madge an aid to get free from the district boundary. 

 

There was such peacefulness that could be found when one was alone, communing with nature. At first, when Katniss took Madge out into the forest, she just had her sit by the small river and take in the scenery.

 

"The forest has a life of its own," she said. "When you can be still and center yourself in it, you can hear it talk to you. Then when you're able to understand what it says to you, you can hear the animals that come close by. You can catch them when you're in synch with nature."

 

Madge had never heard Katniss speak in such a manner. It was quite enthralling to watch the young huntress in her element. After a week had passed, Madge was ready to begin hunting.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Today was the third day that Madge had gone hunting in the forest by herself since Katniss had left three days ago with Peeta for their Victory Tour. Before they left, Madge had cockily told Katniss that, when she came back, she would find Madge an accomplished hunter. At this, Katniss had smiled and, surprisingly, gave Madge a hug.

 

"I wouldn't expect anything less," she replied. "Do you want me to ask Gale to go with you so you won't be alone?"

 

 _Gale Hawthorne?_ Alone with her in the forest? Madge vehemently objected.

 

"I can handle being by myself in the forest, Katniss. Don't worry. I don't need a strong man to help out." Madge said that last sentence in a joking way so Katniss would be persuaded to abstain from talking to Gale about chaperoning Madge, and it worked.

 

Katniss understood by the look in Madge's eyes that her friend wasn't interested in being catered to by an intimidating male. Katniss may not have been one for a lot of talking, but she was quite aware of the tension between Gale and Madge, so she left it alone.

 

"Alright. Try not to have too much fun in there," Katniss replied. Then she and Peeta got on the train with Effie and Haymitch.

 

It was lonely without Katniss' presence in the forest. It's not like the two of them talked a lot out here, but they made a good pair of hunting partners. Katniss had even remarked that she enjoyed Madge's company just as much as Gale's.

 

Madge suspected that Katniss needed someone else to understand how she felt about the forest besides Gale, now that he was working in the mines.

 

Gale Hawthorne. Madge had always been a little frightened of him, even as a child. He wasn't mean, but he had such powerful masculinity and rugged good looks that it was intimidating for Madge to even keep eye contact with him.

 

He wasn't like the other men in the Seam, or the town, for that matter. He had a commanding presence. Gale Hawthorne was the kind of man that other men would willingly follow. You didn't meet someone like that every day. Yes, by definition, Gale would be considered an alpha male.

 

Madge had no idea how Katniss dealt with looking at Gale all the time. She probably just didn't think about things like the staggering sensuality in her best friend.

 

Madge found herself envying her sometimes, particularly when she and Katniss would spend time at the Everdeens' house or just walking around the Seam, and Gale would just pop up after work and enter the conversation.

 

Whenever that happened, Madge always grew quiet. Gale would look at her with an amused glance, almost as if he **knew** that she was intimidated by him and he was entertained by it. That annoyed Madge to no end. So what if Gale was ridiculously good looking? So what if the muscles in his forearms were the most beautiful tanned skin she'd ever seen? So what if she had woken up several times at night, panting breaths after having filthy dreams about him?

 

He was off limits. Madge made that rule up for herself just in case she got any bad ideas, which happened _very_ often. Although, sometimes...she wondered what would happen if she could just kiss Gale once. To have one taste of the man she craved. Would that be enough? Or would the passion utterly undo her and make her yearn for more?

 

A snap behind her caught Madge off guard and she twisted quickly, heart beating fast. Her hands were already on the bow, fingers poised and ready to let an arrow loose on any wild animal that tried to attack her. Once she recognized who stood before her, she lowered the bow with a scowl on her face.

 

"Gale...what are you doing here?"

 

He cocked an eyebrow and held his crossbow against his hip.

 

"Hunting, same as you. Though, I don't know why **you** would be out here, _Undersee_. It's not like your family needs food, like the rest of us."

 

Madge heard the blatant bitterness in Gale's voice and she cringed inwardly. **This** is exactly why she didn't want Gale with her in the woods. All he would do is make her feel bad about being a 'townie', which is what people from the Seam called privileged people who lived in town and had more money than them.

 

It was an awful, grudging nickname, and Madge hated it. She was not going to put up with any prejudice from Gale. She came here to hunt in solace, and Gale had just ruined that. So Madge didn't feel too bad about calling him out.

 

Nose flaring, Madge glared at Gale and stomped over to him.

 

"Frankly, I don't care what you think about me or my family, _Hawthorne_. Katniss has been taking me out here to hunt for the last couple of weeks, but I'm sure you already know that since the two of you are best friends. If you have some kind of animosity towards me because I live in town and you feel that means that I think I'm better than you, you're wrong. I'm not a privileged snot like some of the kids we went to school with. Yes, I **am** from town, but you know what? Katniss didn't care. She still found me worthy enough to be my friend and teach me how to hunt. If that bothers you, then you can go back home, because I really came here for some peace and quiet, and I'm going to get it, **one way or another!** "

 

The last part of that sentence came out a lot more harshly than Madge intended, but it did the trick. Gale's lazy posture disappeared and he grimaced.

 

Madge noticed the tenseness of Gale's jaw. No one had ever spoken to him like that before. Usually, most people were either in awe of him or too nervous around him to stand up to him. Gale was definitely not used to that. Good. She'd struck a nerve. That felt nice, especially when Madge thought about all of the 'townie' insults she'd received from Seam kids at school. In Madge's eyes, it's not where you lived that determined who you are, it's what you did. There was so much more to Madge than being a 'townie,' which is why that nickname bothered her so much.

 

Moments passed before Gale spoke. "Well, are we going to hunt or aren't we?"

 

Madge faltered, her anger and defiance colored over by shock. "W-wait a minute. You're coming with me?"

 

Gale smirked and began walking towards her in a cocky manner. It didn't take him long to get over being called out. "Yeah, I still have to get food for my family, you know."

 

Madge blushed, feeling silly for forgetting that Gale had to provide for his family. He was the man of the house. Madge almost said that she could bring his family some food so, that way, he could go home and rest.

 

Then she remembered how Katniss had once voiced her frustrations to her about Gale's stubbornness when it came to accepting food for his family. Katniss had offered to give him some of the food that her family got from the Capitol every week, but Gale always held firm, resisting any help from her. Gale Hawthorne was very proud and it must be an insult to him to accept gifts from someone instead of going out and working for it. Katniss understood him in that case, but, honestly, he confused Madge.

 

"I guess I wouldn't mind a little company." Madge had to counter back at Gale. Perhaps this way, she could relax in his presence. Gale walked past her and Madge caught a glimpse of those strong forearms. She swallowed nervously.

 

 _"If I can survive it..."_ she muttered under her breath.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Madge and Gale had been in the forest for nearly three hours and they'd both gotten a good catch. Madge caught two rabbits, two squirrels, and five fish; Gale caught six rabbits, three squirrels, and four fish.

 

They had actually gotten along quite well, too, contrary to what Madge thought would happen. Gale had even praised Madge on her well-honed skill with the bow Katniss left for her. Of course, Madge wasn't a superior hunter to Katniss or even Gale, but Gale assured Madge that if she kept practicing, she could become a great proficient. And, coming from him, that was a huge compliment.

 

"Do you come out here every day to hunt or only a couple days of the week?" Gale asked her as they made their way back to the fence.

 

Madge looked up at Gale. Man, those grey eyes were hypnotizing. Madge blinked and turned her eyes away from him and looked forward, to the space ahead of her. It was easier to talk to Gale without looking at his face.

 

"Only a couple days of the week. When Katniss was here, we went out every day, so I could get used to hunting. It was difficult at first, because the bow was so heavy in my hands. Though, after a couple of weeks, I got used to it, and now I don't feel sore when I wake up in the morning."

 

Gale laughed, at what, Madge didn't know. He looked down at her and shook his head, eyes brimming with mischief.

 

Curiously, she asked him, "What's so funny?"

 

There was a look he sent her that made Madge feel like squirming under his gaze. "Oh, I was just thinking about how you'd look in the morning, so sore you could hardly move. I bet you wear one of those old fashioned nightgowns with the frill around the collar."

 

Madge blushed involuntarily. How embarrassing to be teased about her sleep clothes! She chuckled in response, letting him believe that his teasing didn't faze her.

 

"I'll have you know that I don't wear a long, frilly nightgown. I wear shorts and a long shirt to bed every night, not that I have to defend myself to you. It's not like you're going to see me in my nightclothes, anyway."

 

Once those words left Madge's lips, she sincerely wished that she could have taken them back. Ordinarily, she was not this saucy but, for some reason, Gale just brought it out in her. It was like she felt compelled to keep countering him with witty banter, to let him know that she was his equal.

 

Madge never felt the need to impress a man before, but with Gale by her side, she felt weak and feminine in contrast to his strength and masculinity. Her mother had always told her that was the way things were meant to be between the sexes. Still, Madge desperately wanted Gale to know that she wasn't some wimpy female that fawned all over a man the way most girls at school did.

 

Madge wanted Gale to know that she was a very capable young woman  who could hold her own with him. And maybe, just maybe, **she** could also believe it in the process.

 

Still, Madge mentally kicked herself for being so sassy with her words. Why in the world did she have to mention her unmentionables to Gale? She shold have ignored him instead. As Madge mused over this, Gale leaned towards her with a wicked, suggestive grin on his face.

 

"Oh, I don't know, Undersee. You _may_ be surprised..."

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I may not be a Gale fan, but I must say that I love his dynamic with Madge! This story is going to be so much fun to write! :D


End file.
